Natural Disaster
by DSISandraPullman39
Summary: There was another crash and the carriage began to tilt spilling them, their drinks and everyone else in the carriage crashing toward the windows with a loud squeal of train breaks and a chorus of panicked screams.
1. Chapter 1

**Natural Disaster 1/?**

**Disclaimer:-** Don't own them just borrowing!

**Episode:- **None

**Pairing:- **little bits of Jean/James and of Robbie/Laura but only near the very end!

**Rating:- **M

**Achieve:- ** **http(:/) . /group/rebeccafrontlewisffarchive/**

**Summary:- **There was another crash and the carriage began to tilt spilling them, their drinks and everyone else in the carriage crashing toward the windows with a loud squeal of train breaks and a chorus of panicked screams.

**Author's Note:- **In answer to Beth's challenge involving a transport failure and character death. Rated for language and graphic scenes as they say on TV. ***Character death warning*** so if you don't like that stay clear otherwise enjoy and reviews would be lovely!

"I get that we're supposed to be showing the more ecologically aware side of policing but remind me again why that means I have to travel 200 miles in the middle of winter on a train?" James sighed as Robbie rolled his eyes and Laura smiled at the exasperated groan that Jean gave as she set her e-reader and leaned across the table.

"Because you and Robbie seriously overspent on millage last month traipsing all over the country looking for a suspect who if you recall turned out to be living ten minutes from the station. Thanks to that I've had the chief constable in my ear about petrol consumption and CO2 emissions and how we're supposed to be reducing both!" She snapped as Robbie glared at his sergeant wondering why the hell he'd decided to get into it all again. They'd already had to sit through a cringe worthy half hour lecture when she'd realised they would have to get to the forensic policing conference by public transport and he didn't need to hear it again especially in front of Laura who seemed to be finding the whole thing way too funny for his liking. "So frankly I would rather be in a nice comfortable car with a heater I had some control over instead of freezing to death on the coldest day of the year in a drafty train carriage but there's damn all we can do about it! Maybe next time you'll think to look a little closer to home before you go gallivanting around the country on a whim."

"We didn't know he was…." James began before quickly shutting up as she looked at him again like at any moment she might kill him and returning to what she was reading putting in the small set of earphones and blocking them all out completely.

"What the hell did you have to do that for?" Robbie whispered glaring at James as he shrugged.

"It's 6am, it's fucking freezing, I've had one cup of shitty train station coffee and I'm suffering from nicotine deprivation already and we're not even half an hour into our journey. This is a joke." James replied squashing the polystyrene cup in front of him and looking at the information card on the table in front of him to see what time the buffet car opened. "None of us want to even go to this bloody conference including her why didn't she just save the department the money it's going to cost to attend the thing and put us up in a crappy travel lodge."

"Why don't we see if we can find you another cup of coffee?" Laura smiled feeling that the tension around the table was getting a little too close to breaking point. She had always been planning on taking the train to the conference and when she'd suggested to Jean that maybe it would get the chief constable off her back if they did the same she'd thought it would be fun. Now she was beginning to realise she couldn't have been more wrong.

"Can you bring me one too and James maybe a cup and something nice as a peace offering might make the rest of their journey a little more bearable for all of us." Robbie smiled nodding at where Jean sat her earphones still in having abandoned her e-reader and resting her head back on the chair closing her eyes.

"Yeah good idea." James agreed following Laura along the carriage in the direction of the buffet car.

"It's like looking out at a Siberian winter." Laura sighed as they joined the queue of other travellers. The snow banked on either side of the train was making the landscape a blinding shade of white that meant it was hard to pick out how far along their journey they might be since all the houses and landmarks looked the same. "I know you're all a bit pissed off about travelling by train but I'm pretty sure it's safer in this weather."

"How do you work that one out?" James laughed shaking his head sceptically. "Nice clear motorways. Half the journey time, the possibility of the occasional smoke break and descent coffee, not to mention as Jean said at least we'd have some control over the temperature in the car."

"Yeah motorways are great but we would have to go off them the closer we got to Durham and somehow I don't think it'll be as nice and full of clear roads there. I hate driving in the frost and snow this heavy is even worse that's why I was planning on taking the train anyway. Much safer." Laura replied as they finally reached the top of the queue. "Four coffee's please and….."

"No wait make that three coffees and one hot chocolate and one of those apricot Danish's." James interrupted pointing at the tray of pastries on the counter as Laura rolled her eyes. "What? Jean likes hot chocolate and apricot Danish is her favourite, Robbie said do something and I'm doing something."

"Yeah that's why you're doing it. Cause Robbie told you to." Laura laughed lifting the tray of drinks and heading back toward their carriage as he paid.

"We're back do you think she's asleep." James asked quietly as they sat down at the table and Jean appeared not to have moved since they left.

"No "she" is very much away and that peace offering he suggested you bring me better be a good one." Jean smiled opening her eyes and nodding her approval as he set the hot chocolate and Danish in front of her. "Didn't you bring anyone else a pastry?"

"I hadn't pissed them off." James smiled

"that could change." Robbie replied rolling his eyes and sipping his coffee.

"Look I was just saying to James this doesn't have to be horrible. Ok we're on a train but it doesn't have to be awful." Laura said confidently looking around as 3 sets of sceptical eyes looked back at her. "And it's safer."

"Safer?" Jean asked glancing from Robbie to James. "How can it…"

"Don't ask, it's all to do with snow and driving." James laughed about to continue when a loud bang caused them all to jump.

"What the hell was that?" Robbie said quietly rising off his seat to see what was going on just as there was another crash and the carriage began to tilt spilling them, their drinks and everyone else in the carriage crashing toward the windows with a loud squeal of train breaks and a chorus of panicked screams.


	2. Chapter 2

**** For authors notes, disclaimer etc. see chapter 1**

Natural Disaster 2/?

Opening his eyes trying to see through the darkness of the carriage now that the lights had been extinguished by whatever had happened Robbie could see nothing but the tangle of bits of metal and hear nothing but the collective sound of groans as anguished screams from around them. Nothing was making any sense but from the moments before the carriage was turned upside down he was sure that the train had collided with something and now he had no way of knowing whether it was just their carriage that had been effected or if the whole train was in trouble, nor did he know when or how help was going to get to them.

"Laura? Jean? James? Can any of you hear me?" He called trying to filter out the sounds of other passengers in the hope of hearing the voices of one of his friends and trying to move before realising his leg was trapped under one of the heavy carriage seats which seemed to have come loose from the floor as the carriage turned.

"Robbie? Is that you?" James called crawling along the dark surface that until they had toppled had been the roof of the carriage. He could feel a trickle of blood running down his cheek and was sure he was cut in more than one place but all he could focus on in that second was getting to Robbie and finding out if Jean and Laura were ok as well. Bumping into something solid he felt along the body in front of him establishing that it was a female before his fingers touched cool beads and he knew exactly who he'd found. "Jean? Jean are you ok? Robbie I've found Jean is Laura over there near you?"

"I don't know I can't move, is Jean ok?" Robbie called trying again to free his leg and giving a pained cry as the metal pinning his leg down tore through the skin as he tried to pull it free. "I can't move James, talk to me is Jean ok, can you see Laura?"

"Not yet and Jean isn't responding there's a lot of blood I can feel it but I can't see anything hold on." James called back rooting around in his pocket praying that his lighter hadn't fallen out when he was thrown around the carriage. Finding the silver zippo he struck it moving the flame up and down Jean's body establishing that she had a large wound on her forehead but was still breathing her chest rising and falling in shallow movements. "Jean's ok, well she's not she's injured ut she's breathing I'm going to move a bit move and see if I can find Laura."

"Be careful James there'll be bits of wreckage everywhere and some of it will be razor sharp my leg is trapped and I can't free it. Have you found her yet?" Robbie called the sounds around him that seemed to be getting louder and more anguished making his blood run cold. Based on his and Jean's injuries he was sure there were others in just as bad a state, possibly even dead around them and he couldn't hear any movement outside the carriage or the sound of sirens suggesting that help was on it's way.

Moving gingerly through the area immediately in front of him James waved the lighter left and right looking for any sign of Laura trying not to focus too much on the obvious signs of blood and devastation around them. Finally seeing a flash of blond hair in the corner where he assumed their table had been he crawled closer as his lighter started to flicker and he had a moment of panic that the petrol he'd filled it with that morning before leaving was about to run out.

"Laura are you ok?" He asked breathing a sigh of relief as her head moved and she groaned quietly.

"I'm ok, I don't know if I can move though there's something on my stomach, a chair, or a bit of table or something I can't see what." She said quietly as he moved the lighter along her body giving a sharp gasp as he saw the block of two chairs wedging her into place and noted the way the sharp edge of the broken arm rest was stabbed through her left side. "James what can you see? Can you shift whatever it is so I can move?

"I don't think that's a good idea." James replied trying to sound clam in an attempt not to panic her.

"James is she ok? Talk to me I don't know what's going on!" Robbie shouted pausing as he waited for a reply. The carriage was beginning to groan alarmingly and the way it still seemed to be swaying slightly made him worry that it might still attempt to right itself sending them all spilling around like beads in a rattle.

"She's ok for now." James called as Laura looked at him through narrowed eyes and his lighter finally gave up plunging them back into complete darkness.

"James tell me what you saw, I'm a doctor I can take it why can't you move whatever it is?" She said quietly not needing to see him to know he was agonising over whether or not to be honest with her. "Just tell me."

"It's two of the seats they've come loose from the bolts and landed on your stomach but the arm rest has split and a sharp bit of the metal has punctured you're left side."

"Yeah I figured it was something like that it hurts like hell but you're right there's no way you can move them. Where are Jean and Robbie, I can hear him obviously but where is she?" Laura continued the slight wooziness in her head making her words come out in a slightly slurred muddle as for a second she was sure she felt the carriage tilt again but couldn't be sure if it actually had or if it was her mind playing tricks in the dark.

"Robbie is over to the right somewhere he can't move either something is wedging his legs and Jean is just behind us she's unconscious but breathing. We're all going to be ok help won't be far off and….."

"James hold on to something!" Robbie shouted stopping his words in his throat as there was a loud groaning sound from the metal around them followed by another crash, more screams and the drum lick rattle of wreckage moving around and the carriage listed to one side sending him tumbling out of control before he had a chance to follow Robbie's instructions.


	3. Chapter 3

**** For authors notes, disclaimer etc. see chapter 1**

Natural Disaster 3/?

"Robbie? Robbie can you still hear me?" Laura shouted when the carriage had come to rest again and she realised the set of seats that were causing her to rapidly lose blood had also served to keep her in place throughout the latest rolling. "James? Jean? Anyone?"

"Laura I can hear you." James called quietly reaching out in the dark knowing that he had to still be within touching distance of her and finally feeling her hand as she gripped it. "Is that you?"

"Yes, yes it's me can you move again? Can you see if you can find the others?" She asked hearing him groan loudly and the sound of him dragging his way across the surface releasing her hand as he went.

"I'm pretty sure my leg is broken but I can still move I don't know where Jean and Robbie are likely to be now though that was a big one we must have rolled two or three times but at least we're starting to get some light!" He shouted as the windows shattered on either side of them started to light up as the sun came up but one side was flush with the snow bank and the other blocked by the debris inside the carriage. "I can hear sirens in the distance so help's on it's way. Robbie? Jean? Can either of you hear me?"

Moving slowly trying to block out both the throbbing pain in his leg and the sound of other commuters around them James felt around trying to find either of his other friends in the dim light. The sirens had stopped and he could hear the sound of emergency personnel moving around outside and the distant voice of a major incident coordinator, of the sort he'd listened to often over the years, bark orders and split up tasks. He was about to make his way back to Laura when he heard the sound of a familiar voice shout his name and in the distance behind a group of tables and chairs now piled in a heap in the middle of what had been the carriage.

"Robbie is that you? Can you move yet?" He called reaching the makeshift barricade testing it's sturdiness before pulling himself up on it and looking over to where Robbie's voice was coming from.

"I'm not wedged in anymore but I can't move my leg is smashed to pieces and I don't think I should anyway I can hear help in the distance and Jean is over here she's in a bad way as soon as they reach the carriage you need to get a paramedic over here." Robbie replied as he heard Laura shout again asking where they were and if they were ok. "Is she ok? Is she hurt?"

"Honestly? I don't think she's ok she's been crushed by a seat and the metal from the arm rest has stabbed her side she's losing a lot of blood what's taking them so fucking long getting here is Jean conscious can I see her where is she?" James asked staring at Robbie his panic growing as the older man shook his head moving slightly as he tried to see over the barricade.

"Just get back to Laura and if the rescue crew get to you first make sure they know we're here ok?" Robbie said sighing as James shook his head and continued to try to see past him to where their boss was almost obscured by the debris and random bits of luggage that had been thrown around the carriage. "James seriously you don't want to see her right now just trust me and do what I say ok?"

"No it's not ok get the hell out of the way Robbie what's happened she was ok when I saw her, she was injured but she was going to be ok." James shouted his heart racing as Robbie finally moved aside and he caught a glimpse of a familiar hand and a flash of the cream blouse Jean had been wearing stained dark red with blood. "Jesus Robbie can't you move some of that stuff is she breathing? Can you find a pulse?"

"What's happening over there?" Laura shouted as the light became bright enough for her to make out the shape of James in the distance.

"I think there's a pulse James but we need help all of us please go back to Laura reassure her don't leave her on her own if you're right and she's losing blood you need to keep her conscious and talking." Robbie pleaded waiting until James nodded and he heard him move away before turning back to Jean trying to move some of the lighter objects off her body his stomach turning as he took her hand again trying once again to find the pulse he had already told James was there. In truth he'd been talking quietly to her, squeezing her hand, trying to get any response from her since they stopped moving again and she wasn't responding not to mention that while now and then he almost managed to convince himself there was a pulse in her wrist, however weak, he wasn't sure there was. "Come on Jean don't do this to us, you're strong than this. Please just hold on a little longer help is on it's way I promise." He whispered his heart leaping as he was sure he felt her fingers tighten for the briefest of seconds around his hand and said a silent pray that it hadn't been his imagination and that the paramedics would get there before it really was too late.

"James what's happening?" Laura asked when he finally made it back to her side the ghostly white sheen to her face even through the dried blood that had settled there making his own blood run cold. Robbie was right she was losing too much blood and he could tell from the way her words seemed to run into each other like she'd had too much to drink that at any time she could pass out then it would get really dangerous.

"Robbie's ok he's not trapped any more but he says his leg is smashed up and it looked like the other one was badly cut when I looked over, they're behind that pile of stuff over there." He said getting as close as he could and resting Laura's head on his lap as she nodded.

"And Jean? Is she with him? Has she come round?" Laura asked as he saw her eyes start to droop and he frantically tried to think of whether to tell her about Jean or not.

"No and I need you to stay with me and tell me she's going to be ok you're the doctor around here and I need you to tell me she's going to be ok so don't you dare go to sleep on me." He continued with a weak smile. "Robbie says there's a weak pulse but she's badly crushed back there and even when I saw her earlier she had a head wound but she's going to be ok isn't she?"

"Course she is, she's a fighter and she wouldn't die she'll want to be ok to remind you both that it was your bloody fault she was on this train in the first place." Laura replied the end of her sentence trailing off.

"Yeah she will, open your eyes Laura tell me what might have happened to her why won't she wake up, come on I need you don't fall asleep on me help is on it's way." James said loudly holding his breath as her eyes opened again and she tried to move slightly wincing at the effort involved.

"She could have internal bleeding, or it could just be the head wound and….trauma…..the body shuts…I mean it…." she said quietly her eyes closing again and this time no matter how he tried he couldn't get her to open them again.

"Laura come on open your eyes, help's coming please open your eyes again." He said knowing it was pointless as he watched her chest rise and fall counting the breaths making sure that they stayed regular while pleading silently with the emergency services to get there and do it quickly.


	4. Chapter 4

**** For authors notes, disclaimer etc. see chapter 1**

Natural Disaster 4/?

"Can anyone hear me down there? You mate are you able to tell me how many of you are down there and what we're dealing with?" A red faced paramedic shouted as Robbie tried to see through the fresh snow falling into the carriage to see where he was and if he could reach the man who appeared to have finally turned up to help.

"Yeah I can hear you! I don't know about others but there's four of us, me and Jean are here she's unconscious she's got a head wound and is being crushed by some of the wreckage someone needs to get her out and do it quickly!" He shouted trying to move so he was in the line of the spotlight the paramedic was shining into the carriage from above him. "Then there's two others James is mobile he's got a broken leg but he's managed to get over to the other side of the carriage to Laura she's not goo she's got a puncture wound he says but I haven't seen her are you coming down here to do something? Is there more of you? We're all with the police, well Laura's a pathologist but we all work for the Oxford force."

"We're working on getting to you what about you? What injuries have you can you move?" The paramedic shouted as the sound of voices outside got louder and Robbie could hear someone discussing how best to get access to the carriage. "What's your name mate mine's Jason, talk to me while we try to work out how to get to you."

"Robbie, my name is Robbie what's going on why aren't you coming down, why aren't they trying to get to us and there must be others in here I mean the carriage wasn't empty other than us there were at least half a dozen people." Robbie replied as he heard James call from the other side of the carriage before the paramedic got a chance to reply.

"Robbie are they here? I can't keep Laura awake I've tried everything but she's stopped talking she needs to be got out of here now. How's Jean has she come round again?" James called cradling Laura's head on his lap gently stroking her face as he did. For minutes now he'd been talking to her trying to get her to respond but nothing and the grey pallor to her skin was starting to make him panic. Her pulse was weak and there were moments when he wasn't even sure he could feel it anymore. Every time that happened the knot in his stomach got a little tighter and he was quickly losing faith that they were all going to come out of this ok. The temperature in the carriage was dropping more by the moment and now with large flakes of snow falling through the gaps in the framework of the carriage he was starting to seriously worry about the risk that they would all end up with hypothermia on top of their other injuries.

"Yeah James they're here but they aren't coming in yet I'm trying to find out what's going on, Jean's still out, keep trying to wake Laura she needs to stay with us it won't be long now hopefully." Robbie called back turning his attention back to Jason where he started in through the gap still. "You hear that? Laura is getting weaker by the second why are you standing up there why isn't anyone trying to get in here and move some of this crap to get us out of here?"

"Robbie I need you to stay calm and sit tight it is all going to be fine we're going to get you out as soon as we can."

"Don't give me that bullshit I'm a copper remember I've given that same speech myself a dozen times just tell me straight what's going on I don't need to be bloody flannelled I need to know what's actually going on." Robbie snapped. He'd been at too many major incidents in his career and given the same placating speech over and over again to victims and relatives on road sides and at disaster sites to be fooled by it. Something was wrong, if they could just get into the carriage and get all of them out they'd have started doing it by now and having a lad not much older than his Lynn try to soft soap him really wasn't helping.

"Look you really need to stay calm and focus on you and your friends right now leave the …."

"The truth Jason don't try to fucking tell me that if it was as simple as just coming down here and getting us out you wouldn't have started doing it by now. Three of the most important people in my life are in this carriage and two of them are no unconscious with what we have to assume are serious life threatening injuries so can you please just stop messing around and tell me what's going on?"

"Robbie what's going on what are they telling you?" James called again sure he could hear Robbie's voice raised and panicking that something was happening with Jean while he was there unable to leave Laura and couldn't help.

"Nothing yet I'm dealing with it sit tight." Robbie replied staring at the man still looking through the gap at him. "Well?"

"Your carriage is jack knifed the bottom end is hanging over the viaduct the only think holding you in place is the rest of the train and it's only doing that because it's so tangled up it can't move but the snow is getting heavier and there's only a locking joint holding you in place. If it lubricates the joint it might snap. Not only that but we're worried if we add any extra weight to the carriage it might slip and then it and all of you would be sent over the edge of the viaduct and the water under there has got to be well into minus numbers by now no one would stand a chance." Jason sighed his reluctance to explain obvious in his voice as he turned and spoke briefly to someone behind him. "Look we're working as fast as we can to secure the carriage then we'll be able to come in and start moving you all we're being as quick as possible I promise you."

"Ok just don't take too long about it I'm not sure how much longer we're all going to hold on down here can you at least throw me down a blanket or something that I can put over Jean she's cold as ice." Robbie replied watching as the man disappeared from view for a second before returning with some blankets and passing them through the gap to him. "James can you make it back over here they've thrown in some blankets it would probably be good to get one over Laura it might help."

"Reach it over." James said a few minutes later as he leaned over the wreckage taking the blankets Robbie held out then listening as he explained the situation. "So how long do they think it's going to take?"

"How long is a piece of string?" Robbie replied shaking his head as he saw the younger man's frustration. "There's nothing we can do James but wait and try to keep Jean and Laura warm and safe while we do. Hopefully it won't be much longer we're going to be ok."

"I don't think you're sure of that any more than I am anymore." James sighed as he saw the same concern in Robbie's eyes that he was feeling himself. Things were going from bad to worse and they both knew if something didn't change soon there was every chance none of them would make it out of this alive.


	5. Chapter 5

**** For authors notes, disclaimer etc. see chapter 1**

Natural Disaster 5/?

"Jason what's going on it's been ten minutes how long is it going to take for you to secure this thing we need to get out of here." Robbie shouted trying to see through the gap in the wreckage where the rescue worker had been earlier. Since the blankets had been passed down he'd not seen anything or anyone and even the sound outside seemed to be being muffled by the heavy falling snow.

"Can you see anything Robbie? I'm really worried about Laura her pulse is so weak now I can barely find it we need to get out of here she's lost so much blood she can't last much longer without help." James called hearing the first sound from his friend in a while.

"No and the fella who was talking to me earlier has disappeared, Jean's in a bad way too I've tried to keep her warm but I'm worried she's suffering from hypothermia on top of everything else." Robbie replied shuffling a little close to Jean again running his hand down her cheek the chill that greeted his touch making his heart skip. "Jean I need you to wake up, you're terrifying James he's worried you're going to die on him and the last words you'll have exchanged will have been cross ones. Come on you don't want me sitting here talking to myself you'll have to refer me to the department shrink if anyone catches me and think of the paperwork."

"Is she responding at all? Robbie does she still have a pulse." James shouted the sound of Robbie talking to Jean carrying across the silent carriage. He wasn't sure if it was the snow, the fear or the fact that he wanted to hear something that told him the nightmare was almost over but his hearing seemed to be on high alert and he needed Robbie to talk to him about how Jean was doing in the same way he was telling him about Laura. Taking the blanket from around his own shoulders and adding it to the two he already had covering Laura he painfully dragged himself back across the wreckage toward the small barricade that blocked his view of them. "Jean, Jean you listen to me wake up and help we can't do this without you I can't do it without you Laura needs you too please baby open your eyes."

"I think her body has probably gone into shock James but she does still have a strong pulse, they should have the carriage almost secured and then they'll get us out." Robbie replied his heart breaking at the panic he could see in James's eyes and evident in the over familiar way he was talking to their boss something he would never have done in public under any other circumstances.

"You guys hanging in down there?" Jason called his face suddenly appearing at the gap again startling both James and Robbie as they stared up at him.

"No we're not we need out of here now. What's happening?" James replied before Robbie had a chance to get a word in. "What's taking so long?"

"We have a winch attached to the carriage and we're about to start trying to bring you up onto the but it's not going to be easy and the chances are you are going to get battered about in there while we do it, is there any way you can wedge yourselves in and protect yourselves and the ladies from any possible falling debris when we start to move?" Jason asked shining a torch into the carriage and illuminating the scene of devastation around them for the first time.

"Jesus this is carnage," James muttered as e followed the torch light seeing the signs of other bodies buried in the parts of the carriage and the splattered blood around them.

"We'll do what we can, do you have spare torches up there can you pass us a couple down?" Robbie asked taking charge again reaching up and taking the two small torches from the paramedic as he dangled them through the gap. "Give us a few minutes to brace ourselves."

"Ok I'll give you a head's up before we start moving you. We'll get you out as soon as we're level hang in there."

"James snap out of it." Robbie said firmly reaching one of the torches over the barricade to the younger man who seemed to have been hypnotised into silence by the flashing images of horror the paramedic's torch had given them. "Take the torch and go back to Laura, make sure that you are both as secure as you can be and away from anything lose that might cause more injuries if it starts flying around when they start winching us up. James come on get a grip!"

"Yeah, ok, sorry." James muttered taking the torch from Robbie and pausing for a moment turning it on and shining it in the direction of Jean bile rising in his throat as he did. The wounds he'd known existed earlier seemed minor compared the deathly pale pallor of her skin and the feeling that gripped his gut that she was slipping away from them just as surely as Laura was.

"Will you move man they can't get started if we can't give them the ok, I promise I'll make sure she's secured just do the same for me with Laura." Robbie snapped breathing a small sigh of relief as his friend finally moved and he could focus on shining his own torch around the small area he and Jean were in. The surrounding area was a mass of razor sharp metal, broken glass but there seemed to be enough of the soft padding from the inside of the train seats around that he might be able to prevent them being injured further as the carriage moved. Pulling the cushion padding as close round them as he could he packed the area around Jean's head with it before using what was left to make something resembling a tent over them both. "James are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be I can't do much there's not a lot to work with here but I'll make sure that Laura is protected just tell them to get a move on." James called back turning his attention back to Laura "We're almost done you stick with me you hear? I'm going to cover us up and it's going to get a bit rough for a few minutes but when it's over they'll be able to get us out an then you'll be ok."

"Robbie are you and your friend ready?" Jason asked shining his torch through the gap again as Robbie put his head round the makeshift protection he had made and nodded.

"Yeah we're ready."

"Ok well remember it's going to be noisy and you're going to feel a lot of movement but when we're done we should finally be able to get your and your friends out and to the hospital ok?"

"Just do it the longer you wait the more dangerous it is for Laura and Jean." Robbie replied shouting over the barricade to James that they were about to start before moving closer to Jean in his makeshift shelter and bracing himself. He knew this was probably their last hope, if the winch failed he didn't know how the paramedics were going to get to them and with Laura and Jean already fading away from them he knew time was running out.


	6. Chapter 6

**** For authors notes, disclaimer etc. see chapter 1**

Natural Disaster 6/?

"OK guys I'm going to move away then within a few minutes you'll feel the carriage start to move the major incident team are up here on standby so as soon as your level they are going to cut the top off the carriage and get to you." Jason shouted before Robbie heard him move away from the gap in the wreckage and shone the torch at Jean again.

"Alright ma'am we're on the home straight just hang in there you don't want to miss the change to tear a strip off us again for over spending and getting us all into this mess do you?" He said quietly hoping the teasing in his tone might help bring Jean round as he heard the squealing sound of the winch outside coming to life and felt the judder of the carriage beginning to move.

"Hang in there Laura do you feel that? We're moving, they're just levelling us out then we're out of here and we'll get you to the hospital." James said quietly a wave of nausea washing over him as he heard metal crunch around them. The sounds were like something from a hideous soundtrack to a disaster movie as he listened to debris crash into the sides of the carriage, and metal groan on the straps that had been secured around the sides. His senses where on high alert as he felt something slide past his arm and moments later the sharp pain as a shard of what the thought was once a window slice his arm. The movement felt like it went on forever when in truth he knew it was only a few minutes and when they finally came to rest again he let out the breath he hadn't even been aware of holding. "Robbie we've stopped, are we up or have they had to pause?"

Listening in the silence as he waited for Robbie's reply he heard their paramedic call too from the gap at the other side of the carriage and still didn't register any response from his friend.

"Jason he's not answering can you see him and Jean is he ok? Are they both ok?" He called hearing the paramedic's voice fade for a second before coming through clearly again as he switched on the small torch he'd managed to keep hold of through the move.

"James just stay where you are, I can see them but some of the seats have got shifted in the move and they're covering them. The guys are cutting he supports of the carriage now in a couple of minutes we'll lift the top off then we can get to all of you." Jason called the slight edge to his voice meaning that it was hard for James to say where he was as his mind was assaulted by the possible images behind the barricade that still blocked his view of Robbie and Jean. "Focus on your other friend for now James talk to me has she got a pulse still? Did you both get through the move ok?"

"I'm fine something sliced through my arm but it's not deep." James replied reaching under the blanket to gently hold Laura's wrist. "She's still ok her pulse is just getting weaker and weaker though and what's going to happen when you move her? If that metal comes out it'll just make her bleed more and…"

"James relax the guys know what they're doing."

"And what will that be? You said a couple of minutes so far I'm not exactly filled with confidence!"

"They are cutting the last strut now. Tell me about your friends Robbie and the lady over here are they seeing each other or what?" Jason called causing James to roll his eyes exaggeratedly and growl with frustration. He knew what the other man was doing he'd listened to him do it with Robbie earlier and he'd done it himself more than once. Keep him talking and distracted to stop him panicking and he didn't feel like playing ball but the suggestion that Jean might be with anyone other than him was one he couldn't let slide.

"No, Jean is my partner and our boss, it's complicated and Robbie is with Laura. Look I know what you're trying to do here mate but getting us out and all safe is the only thing that's going to make me feel any better right now."

"OK well you're in luck because they're ready to lift, I'm going to move again so they can get the top off but I'll be right back and we'll get in there and start getting you out ok?"

Waiting until the sound of the paramedic's voice faded James held his breath again as the metal above his head was lifted away and the stark early morning winter sun shone through the carriage. He was completely surrounded by detestation; bodies were partially visible under mounds of wreckage, blood stained the walls of the carriage and the mounts of pure white snow that had been building in gaps while they had been trapped.

"Right James, can you move, the guys have got a stretcher up here for you once we get you out we can start moving your friends." Jason said as he appeared at the side of James and Laura followed by two other paramedics. "This is Fred and Steven they are going to help get you out, your leg and the cut on your arm is it right? You don't feel like you've had a bang to the head or anything?"

"No I'm fine but I'm not leaving Laura, get her out first and Jean and Robbie they need help more than I do!" James snapped not believing what he was hearing. Of all of them he was the most able to wait, to stay there till the others were safely clear of the wreckage and they wanted to move him first?

"James, it is James isn't it?" The other paramedic who'd been introduced as Steve said cheerfully as James nodded. "Listen mate once we have you clear we have much more space to work on your lady friend there then…"

"She's not my lady friend, Laura just a friend my "lady friend" as you put it is over there in a far worse state than me why the hell are you wasting time talking to me and not getting to her and Robbie?"

"What's her name? Your girlfriend." The third of the paramedics and the only one not to have spoken so far asked.

"Jean, her name is Jean and I need her to get out of this ok so….."

"So how about this for a compromise, let us get you out and into the back of one of our rigs and provided the doctor on the scene says you're not in any immediate danger we'll keep the rig here with you in it until we have Jean and your friends out?" Jason interrupted waiting as James nodded before getting down into the carriage beside him with one of the others and helping him move onto the stretcher that the third man passed down.

"If you try to take me away from this scene I'll be out of the back of that ambulance even if it kills me."

"I don't doubt that for a second, you know they say doctors and medical professionals make the worst patients? They're lying; cops make the worst patients now just let us do our job and we'll stick to our side of the bargain ok?"

"Ok." James replied as he was lifted out of the carriage and away from the most important person in his life and his two best friends knowing that the next couple of hours would decide if he would still have all of them in his life when this was over.


End file.
